Noiseless stop



E. J. THQMAS NOISELESS STOP Filed Feb. 2, 1935 M In 3 [Mi/7) 7- 750M148;

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Patented Nov. 26, 1935 UNlTED sTATEs ear eNr ()F-FIC E- 3 Claims.

The invention aims to provide a new and improved projectable andretractible stop designed:

primarily for use upon a desk top, table top or similar support toprevent books, drawing boards and other articles from sliding by gravitywhen the support occupies an inclined position, the construction'beingsuch that it may be quickly and easily projected to any desired extentor retracted with equal quickness and ease; all adjust ments of saidstopbeing attainable without causing noise.

A further object of the invention is to provide exceptionally simple andinexpensive, yet efficient and durable means for holding the stoptotally or partially projected, or fully retracted.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subjectmatter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplishedby reference to the accompanying drawmg.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view partly in elevation showing the stopin retracted position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the stop projected.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the shaft and the enlargement thereofwhich is slidable in the tubular casing, a spring and balls which areconfined in a bore within said enlargement being removed.

Only one form of construction has been shown for illustrative purposes,and it will be rather specifically, described, with the understandinghowever, that within the scope of the invention as claimed, minorvariations may be made. Furthermore, although only one of the improvedstops has been illustrated, it is to be understood that any desirednumber may be employed.

In the drawing above briefly described, the numeral 5 denotes a desktop, table top or other support whose obverse and reverse faces aredenoted at 6 and 1 respectively. This support 5 is formed with a socket8 which opens throughone face of the support 5, preferably through thereverse face 1, the other end of the socket being closed by leaving aportion of the support 5 standing when drilling or otherwise formingsaid socket. This portion which is identified at 9 is formed with acentral relatively small opening Ill leading from the closed end of thesocketthrough one face or the other of the support 5, through theobverse face 6 in the present showing.

A short tubular casing II, preferably cylindrical, is snugly fitted intothe socket 8 and may beheld therein by friction :or in any other desiredway. One end of this casing is closed by the portion 9 which formstheclosed end of the socket 8. The other end of the casing I! isprovided withja suitable closure I 2 soldered or other- 5' wisesecuredin place, said closure l2 being formed with'a central opening I3preferably of the same size as the opening Ill. A shaft l4 somewhatlonger than the thickness of the support 5, passes slidably through theopenings .lfl and I 3 and is 10 provided with an enlargement I5 betweenits ends. This enlargement fits slidably in the tubular casing I I andcorresponds in shape to said casing, being cylindrical in the presentdisclosure. The enlargement ltcoacts with the closed end 9 of the socket8 in limiting the upward sliding of the shaft l4 and similarly coactswith the closure I2 in limiting the downward movement of said shaft.When the shaft is lowered, its upper end is preferably flush with theobverse face 6 of the support 5 as seen in Fig. 1, the lower end of saidshaft then projecting below the reverse face I. Whenever use of theshaft is desired to prevent a book, drawing-board or other article fromsliding by gravity on the face 6, it is simply necessary to pushupwardly upon the lower end of the shaft, thereby upwardly projectingthe shaft to any desired extent. For holding the shaft in any positionto which it may be adjusted, novel provision is made.

A bore I6 is formed entirely through the enlargement I5, transversely ofthe shaft I4 and preferably at right angles to this shaft. The majorportion of this bore is occupied by a compression spring ll and the endsof said bore receive two balls l8. By means of the spring l1, theseballs are held in frictional contact with the side wall of the casing II, with the result that the shaft M will be yieldably held in anyposition to which it may be slid. The shaft is not held with suchpressure however, as to interfere with easy projection and retraction ofsaid shaft as required.

Preferably the enlargement l 5 is provided with slight burrs I6 at theends of the bore I6 to hold the balls IS in said bore before insertingthe shaft I4 into the casing II, said burrs however being so positionedthat they do not prevent proper engagement of said balls with the casingwall.

The device is exceptionally simple, inexpensive, convenient and durable,may be easily installed, and after installation is in readiness forinstant use whenever necessary, and when its use is not required, it maybe conveniently depressed to an out-of-the-way position.

As the details disclosed in the drawing have proven to be advantageousfrom numerous standpoints, they may well be followed. However, attentionis again invited to the possibility of making variations Within thescope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with a desk top, table top or similar support; a shorttubular casing mounted in said support and of a length no greater thanthe thickness of said support, a shaft having an enlargement between itsends slidable within said casing, said shaft being somewhat longer thanthe thickness of said support to allow it to be pushed by hand andprojected beyond either the obverse or the reverse face of said support,means closing the ends of said casing and co-operable with saidenlargement to limit the sliding of the shaft, and yieldable meanscarried by said enlargement and frictionally engaging the side wall ofsaid casing to hold said shaft in any position to which it may be slid.

2. In combination with a desk top, table top, or similar support, saidsupport having a socket which opens through one of its faces and havinga central relatively small opening from said socket to its other face; ashort tubular casing fitted into said socket and having one end closedby the end wall of said socket, the other end of said casing beingprovided with a closure having a central opening, a shaft passingthrough both of said central openings and of a length greater than thethickness of said support to allow it to 5 be pushed by hand andprojected beyond either the obverse or the reverse face of said support,said shaft having an enlargement slidable in said tubular casing forlimiting the sliding of said shaft in either direction, and yieldablemeans carried by said enlargement and frictionally engaging the sidewall of said casing to hold said shaft in any position to which it maybe slid.

3. A stop of the class described comprising a short tubular casing to beinset in a table top, desk top or similar support in a position at rightangles to the obverse and reverse faces of said support, a shaft of alength somewhat greater than the thickness of the support, said shafthaving an enlargement between its ends fitting slidably in said tubularcasing, said enlargement having a bore formed entirely therethroughtransversely of said shaft, a compression spring occupying the majorportion of said bore, and two balls occupying the ends of said borerespectively,

said balls being held in frictional contact with the side wall of saidcasing by means of said compression spring to hold said shaft when slidto project beyond either face of said support.

EMERY J. THOMAS.

